EP2342586A1 - Detection of small breast tumours by radionuclide imaging - Google Patents
Detection of small breast tumours by radionuclide imagingInfo
- Publication number
- EP2342586A1 EP2342586A1 EP09787821A EP09787821A EP2342586A1 EP 2342586 A1 EP2342586 A1 EP 2342586A1 EP 09787821 A EP09787821 A EP 09787821A EP 09787821 A EP09787821 A EP 09787821A EP 2342586 A1 EP2342586 A1 EP 2342586A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- detector
- dimensions
- scintillator
- detectors
- collimator
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 206010028980 Neoplasm Diseases 0.000 title claims abstract description 40
- 210000000481 breast Anatomy 0.000 title claims abstract description 15
- 238000003384 imaging method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 9
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 title description 17
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 24
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 21
- 230000003902 lesion Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 20
- 210000000038 chest Anatomy 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 238000003745 diagnosis Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 206010006187 Breast cancer Diseases 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 208000026310 Breast neoplasm Diseases 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 241001446467 Mama Species 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 229910014323 Lanthanum(III) bromide Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 10
- XKUYOJZZLGFZTC-UHFFFAOYSA-K lanthanum(iii) bromide Chemical compound Br[La](Br)Br XKUYOJZZLGFZTC-UHFFFAOYSA-K 0.000 claims description 10
- 125000006850 spacer group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 16
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 13
- 238000009607 mammography Methods 0.000 description 8
- 230000035945 sensitivity Effects 0.000 description 8
- 230000009977 dual effect Effects 0.000 description 7
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 7
- 239000013078 crystal Substances 0.000 description 6
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- 238000004364 calculation method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 201000011510 cancer Diseases 0.000 description 2
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- LJJFNFYPZOHRHM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1-isocyano-2-methoxy-2-methylpropane Chemical compound COC(C)(C)C[N+]#[C-] LJJFNFYPZOHRHM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 208000019901 Anxiety disease Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 206010027476 Metastases Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 238000000342 Monte Carlo simulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicon Chemical compound [Si] XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000006978 adaptation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004411 aluminium Substances 0.000 description 1
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000004458 analytical method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007405 data analysis Methods 0.000 description 1
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- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
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- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
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- NJPPVKZQTLUDBO-UHFFFAOYSA-N novaluron Chemical compound C1=C(Cl)C(OC(F)(F)C(OC(F)(F)F)F)=CC=C1NC(=O)NC(=O)C1=C(F)C=CC=C1F NJPPVKZQTLUDBO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000009206 nuclear medicine Methods 0.000 description 1
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- 238000002603 single-photon emission computed tomography Methods 0.000 description 1
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- WFKWXMTUELFFGS-UHFFFAOYSA-N tungsten Chemical compound [W] WFKWXMTUELFFGS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
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- 229910052721 tungsten Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01T—MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
- G01T1/00—Measuring X-radiation, gamma radiation, corpuscular radiation, or cosmic radiation
- G01T1/16—Measuring radiation intensity
- G01T1/161—Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting
- G01T1/164—Scintigraphy
- G01T1/1641—Static instruments for imaging the distribution of radioactivity in one or two dimensions using one or several scintillating elements; Radio-isotope cameras
- G01T1/1644—Static instruments for imaging the distribution of radioactivity in one or two dimensions using one or several scintillating elements; Radio-isotope cameras using an array of optically separate scintillation elements permitting direct location of scintillations
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
- A61B6/42—Arrangements for detecting radiation specially adapted for radiation diagnosis
- A61B6/4208—Arrangements for detecting radiation specially adapted for radiation diagnosis characterised by using a particular type of detector
- A61B6/4258—Arrangements for detecting radiation specially adapted for radiation diagnosis characterised by using a particular type of detector for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation
Definitions
- the present invention concerns a device for the detection of small tumors in the diagnosis of breast cancer by means of molecular imaging with radionuclides .
- the present invention concerns a device that uses two coupled detectors and, for the first time, with different dimensions and collimation geometries: a detector with standard dimensions having parallel-hole collimator and, in front of this, a detector with smaller dimensions having pinhole collimator, with reduced field of view (FOV) so as to allow the use of the spot compression technique.
- This device is suitable to detect lesions and to establish their nature.
- the breast cancer is the most widespread tumour in the woman. Its successful treatment is connected to the early diagnosis, therefore to the detection of small tumors ( ⁇ 10 mm, if possible ⁇ 5 mm) that makes possible therapeutic operations presumably without metastasis.
- the most utilised diagnosis technique is the X-rays mammography, very much sensible but not specific, that does not provide therefore, actually, information on the nature of the lesions [1] .
- the mammography is moreover less reliable in case of dense mammary tissue, mammas with prosthesis or surgically treated mammas; and it is known that women with dense breast have a much more higher risk of contracting the cancer with respect to the other ones.
- the limitation is due to the geometry of the detector (the considerable overall dimensions do not allow the optimal adaptation to the organ) and to its characteristics.
- the spatial resolution is indeed limited by the intrinsic spatial resolution and the distance tumour-collimator .
- SPECT Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
- a device for detecting small tumours or lesions in the diagnosis of breast cancer by means of molecular imaging using radionuclides comprising a first and second detector, between which the mamma is to be positioned, characterised in that: said second detector has the same dimensions of the mammographic film and said first detector has dimensions that are smaller than those of the mammographic film and such to be suitable to realise a spot compression and therefore reduce the distance lesion-detector; said second detector is fixedly mounted on a support that extends in a direction z; said first detector is mounted: o on a mobile support along said direction z, for the compression of the ma, o in a rotatable way on said mobile support so as to be suitable to form an angle a between
- said first detector uses a collimator of the pinhole type.
- said second detector uses a collimator of the parallel holes type.
- said first detector uses a NaI(Tl) pixelled scintillator.
- said first detector uses a LaBr 3 (Ce) scintillator.
- the ratio between the pixel dimensions of the scintillators are between 1 and 1.4 mm for the first and second scintillator.
- said second detector uses a LaBr 3 (Ce) scintillator.
- said second detector uses a NaI(Tl) pixelled scintillator.
- the dimensions of said first detector is of 45-55 x 45-55 mm 2 in order to allow the spot compression.
- the FOV is varied using plastic spacers with this window, in order to allow the optimisation of the FOV trade-off efficiency-spatial resolution for the optimisation of detectability of small lesions.
- figure 1 shows a schematic plant view of the detection system and the moving system xyz
- figure 2 shows three lateral views of the detection system: (a) the in-compression large detector (with parallel-hole collimator) ; (b) the small detector with localised compression (spot compression) ; (c) the in-compression small detector: advantages in the detection of tumors close to thorax are evident
- figure 3 shows a comparison diagram between the spatial resolutions of two detectors having parallel -hole and pinhole collimators as a function of the source-detector distance
- - figure 4 shows the progression of the efficiency and the FOV of detectors with parallel-hole and pinhole as a function of source-detector distance
- figure 5 shows the advantages of the use of spacers in the pinhole detector
- - figure 6 shows the progression of efficiency and FOV for the detectors with parallel-hole and pinhole collimators as a function
- the device 100 comprises two detectors 10,20 of different dimensions, each constituted by a collimator, scintillator, photodetector, electronics, acquisition system, data analysis and elaboration (not shown) .
- the two detectors 10,20 are mounted on a trestle support 30 which allows the "standard" moving (along z) for the compression, the moving along xy tor the optimal positioning of the smallest detector (figure 1 and 2) and the rotation of the same around an axis perpendicular to z.
- a detector having standard dimensions 150 x 200 mm 2 as for the X-rays mammography
- a detector having smaller dimensions 50 x 50 mm 2
- collimator of the pinhole type is faced, which has a reduced FOV so as to allow the use of the so-called spot compression technique.
- the fundamental parameters for the detectability of a tumour are the spatial resolution, contrast and the SNR, as defined by the following relationships.
- the spatial resolution ⁇ x (along the arbitrary direction x) of the detector is defined by the standard deviation of the detector response function (DRF) relevant to the function of spatial distribution or "Point Spread Function" of the photons produced by the interaction of gamma rays (coming from a point-like source) with the scintillator.
- DPF detector response function
- Image contrasts (IC) is given by:
- Max maximum of the counts on signal pixels, while BKG is the average count in a background ROI (Region of Interest) .
- S are the counts of the ROI defined around the image of the signal.
- the FOV of the larger detector must have dimensions at least equal to the organ under examination for the larger detector and sufficiently small (see below) for the smaller dimensions detector.
- the quantities introduced are closely related to each other. They depend on the intrinsic characteristics of the detector, the collimation system and measurement modality.
- the SNR and the contrast depend both on the spatial resolution (and therefore on the pixel dimensions [10,11,12]) and the efficiency, which depends in turn on the source (tumour) -collimator distance and the collimation system.
- Geometry of the detection system It is possible, with a suitable choice of the scintillator and its geometry, the photo-detector, and reading electronics and the data acquisition system electronics, to build up a detector with highest intrinsic spatial resolution (around 1 mm) and high efficiency.
- two detectors of different dimensions (for example 150 x 200 mm 2 standard dimensions of the mammographic film - and 50 x 50 mm 2 ) , in compression, in such a way to reduce the background and the distance of source-detector, which are coupled, for example in the two projections normally used in high-resolution mammo-scintigraphy (cranium-caudal and oblique middle-lateral) .
- the information coming from the two detectors must be CO-saved and combined in a suitable way so as to maximise the increase of the spatial resolution and system efficiency with respect to the single detector [9] .
- one of the detectors has the dimensions of the mammographic film, the other one has reduced dimensions so as to make it possible a higher compression of the mamma and therefore to bring the tumour still closer to the detector (spot compression) .
- the smallest receiver in the device according to the invention comprises an aluminium sheet 11 of 0.5 mm, a Pb hexagonal-holes collimator, a 150 x 200 mm pixelled crystal 13, photo-multipliers 14, and an external tungsten casing 15, a compression detector 16 with pinhole, a xyz moving system 35.
- pinhole collimator entails the reduction of the FOV, but this is a positive factor just because it allows a larger compression (and therefore a larger source-lesion/tumour distance) .
- the FOV variable as a function of the source- detector distance, must be in any case sufficient for the detection of small dimensions tumors (around 5 mm) .
- the use of spacers of suitable dimensions allows, if necessary, to change the FOV (figures 1, 2, 5, 6) as a function of the characteristics of the suspected lesion (for example position and multi-focality) .
- a FOV of 25 x 25 mm 2 will be sufficient, with evident advantages in terms of sensitivity.
- the spacers can be realised in thin plastic. It is possible to vary the FOV by modulating the source- collimator distance (detector) (trade-off of FOV, efficiency, spatial resolution) . One focuses the tumors detector in the position A. If the morphological exams (mammography, echography, MRI) show that the detector is in a different position (for example B) , in order to hold constant the FOV, one uses just the thin plastic spacers, different as a function of the position. One can thus optimise the trade-off FOV-efficiency-resolution.
- the set of the techniques of morphological imaging allows indeed to localise with high precision the suspected lesions and therefore to position in the correct way the small detector in the zone of the lesion with a FOV that is function of the particular case under examination (FOV variable from around 15 millimetres to around 45 mm) .
- the emission from the source is isotropic, therefore, in order to construct an image of the same, it is necessary to collimate the emitted gamma rays. This entails a remarkable decreasing of the detection efficiency.
- the proposed collimation system is different for the two detectors. It deals with a high efficiency parallel-hole collimator for the large detector 20 and a pinhole collimator for the small detector 10.
- the pinhole collimator plays a crucial role in the proposed system.
- R 1 is the intrinsic resolution of the scintillator
- Sensitivity and spatial resolution of the detector as a function of different intrinsic resolutions of the same and different source-detector distances, are reproduced in the figures 3,4,6 and compared with those of the (pinhole) small detector.
- Pinhole collimator The efficiency and spatial resolution R° of a pinhole collimator are calculated by the following formulae :
- x is the distance between source and pinhole
- / is the distance between the pinhole and the intrinsic detector (scintillator)
- d e is the pinhole effective aperture, given by:
- d is the pinhole aperture
- ⁇ is the attenuation coefficient of the pinhole material
- a is the pinhole aperture angle
- pinhole collimator allows to modulate, particularly if the source-hole distance is (relatively) small, in a profitable way with respect to the parallel hole, the spatial resolution and the sensitivity, to the detriment of the FOV.
- Figures 6 and 7 show the comparison between deficiencies of the single detectors with parallel-hole collimator and pinhole, and those of the dual detectors (parallel hole/parallel hole and pinhole/parallel hole) .
- the advantages of the proposed detector are evident both for the single detectors and for the dual detectors .
- the considered pinhole collimator has a hole of 2 mm and magnification of 2 in the focus (12.5 mm distance from the surface) .
- the choice of the scintillator depends on the following characteristics: detection efficiency of the incident gamma rays (it influences the global efficiency of the system) , light yield (it influences the energetic and spatial resolutions, and therefore the contrast and the SNR) , photo- fraction (it influences the efficiency and the quality of the image) , the dimensions (it influences the width of the light distribution generated and therefore the intrinsic spatial resolution) .
- the NaI(Tl) for its characteristics (efficiency, light yield, photo- fraction, etc.) is the most used scintillator in the Anger camera and in different high- resolution detectors, that are dedicated to the mamma imaging [20] .
- Other solutions are possible also as a function of the technological evolutions of the technical domain.
- the scintillator can be continuous or pixelled.
- the scintillator can be continuous or pixelled.
- the use of continuous scintillators is, in practice, today not proposable because it is not at disposal with the needed characteristics .
- the LaBr3 (Ce) can be instead constructed in the dimensions needed for the small detector (scintillator of dimensions 50 x 50 x for mm 3 are available) .
- the intrinsic spatial resolution is slightly larger than 1 mm.
- Pixelled scintillator The characteristics of the pixel scintillator (NaI(Tl)), but other solutions are possible as a function of the technological evolutions in the field, are dictated by the requests on the intrinsic spatial resolution. Small pixels allow to obtain better spatial resolutions (and SNR) . It is here to be stressed that this is true provided that the pixels are well identified and their content in terms of counts is statistically significant. The step of the sampling of the light emitted as a consequence of the interaction of the gamma rays with the scintillator and electronics plays a crucial role in this.
- photo-detectors in particular photo-tubes that are sensible to the position (Position Sensitive Photomultiplier Tube, PSPMT) Hamamatsu H9500 (anodo 3 x 3 mm 2 ) and H8500 (anodo 6 x 6 mm 2 ) .
- PSPMT Position Sensitive Photomultiplier Tube
- H9500 anodo 3 x 3 mm 2
- H8500 anodo 6 x 6 mm 2
- the system of photo-detectors must be able to sample in a suitable way the light emitted as a consequence of the interaction of the gamma rays with the scintillator.
- MCP MicroChannel Plate
- SiPM Silicon PhotoMultipliers
- the MCP has the same dimensions of H9500 and H8500, and interesting characteristics such as the possibility to construct, in a relatively simple way, in line of principle, anodic pixels of the wished dimensions, the good gain uniformity among various channels and insensibility to magnetic fields.
- the SiPM have very interesting characteristics for this type of applications. It deals with solid-state detectors of small dimensions, not much bulky, and with high quantum efficiency. They are however, for the time being, available only for small matrixes, still not technologically "mature" for the detectors that must be used in clinic.
- the here proposed electronics (1024 channels with reading speed up to 20 kHz) has a certain number of advantages with respect to the generally used resistive chains: larger sensitivity, connected to the fact that the trigger can be set on the single channel and in such a way to take into account the disuniformities of these channels.
- the digitised data are transmitted to the computer and elaborated by means of algorithms, subject to calibration of the system. But vibration is performed by measurements with ad hoc configuration and source processed by the appropriately developed programmes . It consists in: equalisation of the gains of the single anodes: one acquires, by irradiating the detector with a uniform extended source (flood) and one analyses the energy spectra of each anode. One estimates the gain correction by measuring the slope of the logarithmic tail of each spectrum, i.e. by the average besides the pedestal; - geometrical distortions correction: one acquires by irradiating the detector with the uniform source in the case of a pixelled crystal (i.e.
- the large detector provides the global image of the mamma by individuating also the possible multifocal nature of the lesion. It gives a different contribution as a function of the distance from the tumour in the two operation positions (for example cranium-caudal and oblique medium- lateral or two cranium-caudals projections with detectors in swapped positions), which can be determinant.
- the signal once suitably- combined 9 with that of the other detector, will make the SNR significantly increase (what is decisive in case of very small lesions) , and the same hols also for the contrast and therefore the detectability of the tumour, d.
- a further advantage of the system and the operation modalities according to the invention is given, especially in case of tumours that are close to the thorax, as mentioned above, by the possibility of rotating the small detector (figures 1,2) . This allows to position the same closer to tumours which are close to the thorax, what is a very difficult thing using large detectors.
- the intrinsic characteristics of the detectors are today the most advanced ones on the market for detectors that are constituted by scintillator plus photodetector, for: scintillator pixel dimensions, which are smaller than the today commercialised systems (advantages: higher pixels amount in the image, better intrinsic spatial resolution, larger SNR) ; electronics for the acquisition of all the channels; it allows to better identify the pixels especially at the detector edges and in the dead zones,- it uses at the same time high resolution detectors with dual technique (two detectors) ; it uses detectors having different dimensions for the spot compression (advantages: larger compression, decrease of the source-detector distance, increase of the signal and spatial resolution, decrease of the background, consequent increase of the SNR and contrast and therefore detectability of the small tumours (that is an extremely important factor for the choice of the therapy) .
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Biomedical Technology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Medical Informatics (AREA)
- Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
- Molecular Biology (AREA)
- Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
- Apparatus For Radiation Diagnosis (AREA)
- Medicines Containing Antibodies Or Antigens For Use As Internal Diagnostic Agents (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
ITRM2008A000451A IT1391277B1 (en) | 2008-08-11 | 2008-08-11 | DEVICE FOR THE REVELATION OF SMALL TUMORS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF BREAST CANCER BY MOLECULAR IMAGING WITH RADIONUCLIDS |
PCT/IT2009/000355 WO2010018606A1 (en) | 2008-08-11 | 2009-08-03 | Detection of small breast tumours by radionuclide imaging |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2342586A1 true EP2342586A1 (en) | 2011-07-13 |
EP2342586B1 EP2342586B1 (en) | 2013-11-06 |
Family
ID=40637095
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP09787821.9A Active EP2342586B1 (en) | 2008-08-11 | 2009-08-03 | Detection of small breast tumours by radionuclide imaging |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP2342586B1 (en) |
IT (1) | IT1391277B1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2010018606A1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6229145B1 (en) * | 1992-01-22 | 2001-05-08 | Pem Technologies, Inc. | Dedicated apparatus and method emission mammography |
US6583420B1 (en) * | 2000-06-07 | 2003-06-24 | Robert S. Nelson | Device and system for improved imaging in nuclear medicine and mammography |
US7498582B2 (en) * | 2006-03-22 | 2009-03-03 | Siemens Medical Solutions Usa, Inc. | Adjustable focal length pinhole collimator |
-
2008
- 2008-08-11 IT ITRM2008A000451A patent/IT1391277B1/en active
-
2009
- 2009-08-03 EP EP09787821.9A patent/EP2342586B1/en active Active
- 2009-08-03 WO PCT/IT2009/000355 patent/WO2010018606A1/en active Application Filing
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
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See references of WO2010018606A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ITRM20080451A1 (en) | 2010-02-12 |
WO2010018606A1 (en) | 2010-02-18 |
EP2342586B1 (en) | 2013-11-06 |
IT1391277B1 (en) | 2011-12-01 |
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